


coffee

by sakurabaibai



Category: Love Live! School Idol Festival (Video Game), Love Live! School Idol Project, Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: Coffee, Everyone Is Gay, F/F, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Lowercase, Might be OOC, My First Work in This Fandom, Soulmates, im sorry, will add more tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-07-10
Packaged: 2019-05-17 18:33:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14836997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sakurabaibai/pseuds/sakurabaibai
Summary: riko has to write a piece based on the sea for a class, and kanan offers to help her. except she doesn’t actually have to write a composition. she’s just trying to cover up some mistakes.not to mention, everyone knows they’re soulmates. it’s just a matter of them actually talking about it and not constantly avoiding the topic.riko’s sick of chika looking at her like that. stop smirking.





	1. mint latte

**Author's Note:**

> hey guys!! this fic started out as a dumb thing i wrote quite awhile ago because i was bored, but i really liked the concept so? im making it a real fic? this’ll get better as it goes on i PROMISE
> 
> also here are the chat usernames for future references!!  
> riko: beethoven/lilysakurauchi/gay panic/lily  
> hanamaru: bread uwu  
> ruby: woobie  
> chika: chikachii  
> dia: daiyaho  
> mari: starshimmer  
> kanan: mermaid

“soulmates don’t exist.” riko huffs, slamming a warm, damp coffee mug on the counter.

“but riko, i swear! we’re soulmates!” chika protests, picking up the mug and putting it on a shelf behind the counter. riko sighs.

“the chances of yō being your soulmate are so low! it could be literally anyone in the world. not many people actually meet their soulmate. mine’s probably half the way around the world by now.” riko is getting exhausted of this argument. ever since her best friend chika met yō, a short-haired, muscular dance major, chika has been in love. chika in love was one of the most annoying things riko has ever had to deal with. chika would not shut up about her. “you’ve barely even talked to her. save the soulmate talk for later.”

“if you would just trust me! i have the mark right here!” chika argues, pointing at the area right beside her belly button. “you know what? ill prove it to you in two weeks.” 

riko gives chika an apologetic look. “are you sure? you’re going to make a fool out of yourself.” 

“yes. i’ll try to get yō to be my girlfriend in two weeks, mark my words.”

riko sighs again, picking up a small plate and starting to scrub it clean. “sure. go for it. but it was you that thought you would try this. don’t blame me for any mistakes.”

chika nods. “and guess what, riko?”

riko lifts her head from the bubbles of the sink to look at chika, her barista uniform a bit wet in the front from soap water. “what?”

“i’m gonna help you find your soulmate this year. i want you to fall in love. find someone that makes you happy.” chika decides. riko can’t tell if she’s serious, but from her background knowledge of the orange-haired girl’s determination and impossible promises, she is.

“chika, i doubt it.”

“mark my words.” chika repeats, giving a bright smile. both of their heads lift as the doorbell tinkles, indicating a new customer’s arrival. riko rushes to the cashier, wiping her slightly soapy hands on her apron. 

“hi! how can i help you?” riko says cheerfully, opening a new order on her notepad. she looks up at the orderer and there’s a current shooting through her chest. on the other side of the counter stands a very tall and lean girl, muscular and toned from working out. her hair’s dark blue and tied in a high ponytail, long and past her waist. her eyes are a shade of rich purple. the woman is possibly the prettiest thing riko has ever seen. 

riko can hear chika stifling a laugh in the backroom, but she does her best to ignore it. she tries to pay no mind to the slight burn on her thigh either. she can’t believe any of this. oh, the irony. the woman takes a step back and analyzes the menu, then makes eye contact with riko.

“what will you recommend?” the woman asks. riko inhales deeply. technically, this girl should be feeling the pain too if this was all true, but she makes no sign of it. it’s probably a coincidence. 

“maybe a caramel frappuccino? they’ve my favorite. we also have limited flavors right now like peppermint and mint, which are great especially if you don’t like sweet things. in terms of coffee, i would say try a latte or a espresso.” riko explains, smiling through her teeth. chika’s back doing dishes but still almost laughing. riko feels so much frustration at this moment it takes all of concentration not to walk out of the building.

the customer crosses her arms. “hmm… it all sounds good. i’ll have a mint latte.” she decides. riko nods and asks for a size. “a medium?” 

“okay. can i have your name?” riko picks up a sharpie that’s placed next to her computer. 

“kanan.” the girl replies. the pain gets worse, but neither of them say anything. riko writes the name on the cup and calls for chika to start making her drink as she accepts kanan’s cash and gives her back her change. chika complies, luckily, and riko has to sit down in a chair so she doesn’t fall over. 

she pulls out her phone and unlocks it, opening a message to a friend of hers. hanamaru’s a freshman and literacy major. she’s quiet and normally found in the library with ruby, her best friend. hanamaru is protective over ruby as ruby is high school aged, coming to college a year in advance, because she’s smart enough to skip a grade. the two are always together and stop by the cafe regularly.

— beethoven  
HEY help me

— beethoven  
also who changed my name  
i cant believe this

— bread uwu  
no idea  
anyway what do you need

— woobie  
:0

—— [beethoven has changed their name to lilysakurachi.]

— lilysakurauchi  
yall remember this soulmate  
talk right

— woobie  
and how annoyed u were  
by it? yeah

— bread uwu  
not really but whatever

— lilysakurauchi  
holy shit so

— lilysakurauchi  
im just had an argument  
with chika about it all  
cause she thinks she  
found her soulmate

— bread uwu  
ok so nothing new

— lilysakurauchi  
no wait

— lilysakurauchi  
i met this customer and  
now my thigh is burning  
im so scared holy shit

— woobie  
WILD LMAO

— woobie  
did ya get her number

— lilysakurauchi  
no bc im not sure if  
she’s also getting the  
mark

— lilysakurauchi  
but shes still here,  
chika hasnt finished her  
drink yet

— bread uwu  
what’s her name

— lilysakurauchi  
kabob? kanom? konan?  
kanan? i think its  
kanan

— woobie  
HOLY SHIT I KNOW  
WHO U MET

— woobie  
shes one of my sisters  
closest friends

— — [bread uwu has changed lilysakurauchi’s name to gay panic.]

— gay panic  
fuck u hanamaru

— bread uwu  
love u too <3

— gay panic  
anyway ruby what do  
you know about her

— woobie  
marine biology major

— woobie  
has good abs damn

— woobie  
sends dia memes occasionally

— woobie  
dia pretends to hate her  
but we all know thats not  
true

— gay panic  
she sounds so... normal

— bread uwu  
what did u expect her to  
be a trapeze artist or  
something

— gay panic  
u got me there

— woobie  
so... i could ask dia  
to see if kanan’s got the mark?

— woobie  
she third-wheels dia and mari  
Sometimes

— woobie  
*hangs out with

— bread uwu  
im gonna tell mari u said  
that

— woobie  
it was a MISTAKE

— gay panic  
doubt it

— woobie  
do u want to meet kanan or

— gay panic  
she is in the same room as me  
right now i could go up to her  
n introduce myself

— gay panic  
u aint special

— woobie  
yes!!! im special!!! dia says  
so!!!!!! checkmate!!!!

— bread uwu  
we should keep studying

— woobie  
:(

— gay panic  
yeah and i should get back  
on the job

— woobie  
see ya!

— bread uwu  
bye gay panic

— gay panic  
see you later woobie and  
bread uwu

riko slides her phone in her pocket, sighing as chika calls her name. “we need another bag of coffee beans, go get them from the back!” she orders. riko would object but she’s sitting here without anything to do and she’s in front of her possible future romantic interest whom she should try to make a good impression on. she complies without second thought and can tell chika knows what’s going on between the redhead and kanan.

riko comes back with the beans in a couple minutes, humming lightly to herself to take her mind off the slight sting on her thigh. she feels awfully lightheaded, and after she gives the coffee to chika, she sits back down on the stool again. chika and kanan are talking chika as makes her coffee.

“where are you from?” chika asks, picking up the canister of whipped cream and shaking it to restore its fluffiness.

“a seaside town in the country. i’m a junior this year. marine biology major.” kanan replies. her voice is soft and sweet, riko notices. she decides to ignore any passing thoughts she might have about kanan.

“oh really? i have friends that are juniors,” riko nearly swears under her breath at chika’s statement. she’s already embarrassed, and she doesn’t want kanan to realize the friends they share for fear of having to interact with this girl much longer. she doesn’t hate kanan (quite the opposite, actually) but she can’t stand the feelings she’s getting being around her. it feels like an out-of-body experience.

kanan nods. “who? i might know them.” riko’s about to leave to calm herself down in the bathroom.

“mari and dia. mari’s a political science major and dia’s a history major.” chika gives kanan’s drink a dollop of whipped cream. kanan’s eyes light up. riko, on the other hand, can almost feel herself sink low into her chair. 

“they’re some of my best friends!” kanan remarks proudly. “i’m surprised we don’t know each other.” chika nods excitedly in agreement, handing kanan her drink. riko thinks she notices a slight limp as kanan walks over to a chair with her latte, but it might just be because riko’s so lightheaded.

she stands up to excuse herself to the bathroom, rushing into the backroom as fast as she could without seeming awkward. there are shelves on the right wall, holding back-up supplies of coffee, sweetener, and other stock. there’s also a table, which is covered in chika and riko’s school stuff. the two of them work this shift themselves. while only two employees seems like too little, there’s hardly anyone here this time of day. it’s late morning, which is when most of the classes are happening.

riko’s classes are held a couple hours after her shift. she prefers it this way, it’s so much more relaxed and she doesn’t have to get up too early. it leaves her some time to rest before classes. while they can often get late, it doesn’t bother her too much. 

on the other hand, riko has no idea how chika juggles her classes and her shift together. one of her classes starts a half an hour after her shift, and it’s all the way across the campus from the café. chika is an elementary education major with a focus on math.

riko stumbles into the bathroom and sits on the lidded toilet, rolling up her left pant leg. there, drawn carefully onto her inner thigh, is a dolphin in sea green ink. she stares at it for five seconds until finally deciding it was all a dream. there’s no way kanan could be her soulmate. yet here she is, with an obvious soulmate marking on her skin. 

riko wets a paper towel with cold water, grimacing a bit as she lays it delicately across the mark. it’s about the size of the palm of her hand, it’s simple, yet it sticks out awkwardly and it’s already annoying riko. the pain has started to fade away now, the cold water soothing it. the girl takes a deep breath and peels it off her skin, uses a dry paper towel to dry it off, and rolls her jean leg down again.

when she comes out of the backroom again, chika and kanan are engaging in small talk. the light streaming in through the large windows gave the room an angelic feeling, but it only made riko’s headache worse.

“yeah, we’ve been friends since high school.” chika says. kanan takes another sip from her latte and mixes it around with her spoon. “we should all hang out sometime!” 

riko nods lamely in agreement. “we should! we could do karaoke or a movie this weekend.” kanan replies. riko’s mouth gets the best of her.

“the aquarium.” she says, drawing both chika and kanan’s attention. riko notes chika’s light smirk and adds, “i’m… trying to find some more inspiration. for a piece i’m writing in class. it’s, um, ocean… inspired?” riko has made a complete fool of herself.

kanan smiles brightly and riko notes, begrudgingly, that it’s absolutely adorable. “yeah! that’d be cool. i want to see the dolphins.” riko remembers, in a flash of panic, the mark adorning her thigh. she wonders what mark her presence has left on kanan’s. “you’re a music theory major, then?” 

“yeah.” riko replies lightly. kanan takes another sip of coffee.

“that’s cool. i’ve always thought music writing was interesting. if you need any help with the ocean piece, let me know. i know a lot about the ocean,” there’s a glint in her eye as she makes eye contact with riko. 

“okay.” riko replies.

“can i invite yō to go with us?” chika interjects. 

“sure.” riko’s going to ask ruby and hanamaru along too, to keep her from dying of embarrassment as she tags along chika and yō’s date. she’s already dreading spending more time with kanan, because it makes her feel so fluttery.

“let’s make a group chat!” chika exclaims loudly, already pulling out her phone. “i’ll put everyone in it. let’s see… dia, mari, ruby, hanamaru, yō, yoshiko, riko… kanan, can i have your number?” kanan nods, and chika brings her phone over so kanan can type it in. once it’s been said and done, chika sends a test message into the chat, and riko’s phone buzzes. she pulls it out of her apron pocket.

— chikachii  
group chat!!

— mermaid  
hello!!!

— bread uwu  
oh, hello, kanan!!

— daiyaho  
hey!!

— starshimmer  
yeet

— gay panic  
sup

— woobie  
nice username

— gay panic  
oh fuck

— chikachii  
lmao gay panic

— chikachii  
gay panic for who

——[gay panic has changed their username to lily.]

— lily  
absolutely no one :)

riko’s phone vibrates again as she recieves another message, this time from a number she doesn’t recognize. 

—— private message  
—— you do not know this number.  
—— would you like to report this message as spam?

— unknown  
hi

— lily  
hello?

— lily  
who is this

— unknown  
oh sorry, this is kanan

— unknown  
im not kidding. if you  
need help on your project,  
let me know

— lily  
yeah. cool.  
alright. thanks


	2. caramel frappuccino

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> things are looking a little bit more bearable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys!!
> 
> thank you all so much for the support! im really proud of how successful this fic has been so far and how ive been able to continue writing it. luckily, it’ll be pretty fast cause school’s out!!
> 
> anyway, enjoy this chapter!!

when riko comes home from her shift that afternoon, the lights are all off and there’s a smoky haze filling the room. she sighs as she opens the door to her bedroom. her roommate sits on the ground, wrapped in a sheet of black satin, candles set in a circle around her. she’s been like this for awhile, riko can tell, because the candles are almost burnt all the way down to stubs.

“yoshiko.” riko steps into the room over to her bed where she sets down her bags. her roommate stirs a bit.

“oh. riko. hi.” she replies. riko fans smoke out of her face. “i’m trying to find inspiration, but i can’t find anything yet,” riko nods. she understands. yoshiko is an art major with a focus on painting, and finds most of her inspiration by doing (kind of) satanic rituals. it’s sort of weird, but yoshiko’s paintings are spectacular and it works for her, so riko does her best to ignore it.

“ah. try talking to your muse.” riko suggests.

yoshiko nods and closes her eyes again, focusing on the noise of the candles and the whirring of machinery inside the walls. she sits completely still for a couple of minutes. “yohane’s not answering.” she says sadly. riko shrugs.

“how long have you been at it? it’s one-thirty.” riko asks, picking up the brush on her side table and combing her hair mindlessly. 

“really? since my first class ended. twelve forty-five.” yoshiko replies. “i haven’t been able to get in touch with yohane at all.” the pianist finds yoshiko’s tendencies of naming her muse curious. yohane is yoshiko’s creative spirit and an embodiment of her inspiration. yoshiko would focus for nights on end trying to ‘find’ her. at her least inspired it might take two days to get in touch with yohane.

riko sighs again. “do you want to go get food or something? maybe being outside and seeing the scenes might help you figure something out for your painting.” yoshiko snuffs out the candles and unwraps herself from the sheet of satin which she folds half-heartedly and sets on her bed. 

“yeah.” yoshiko agrees. riko notes she seems almost more discouraged today.

“is something wrong? other than your struggle to find inspiration, i mean.” riko asks yoshiko. yoshiko shakes her head in response. “okay. let’s go eat then.”

it’s one fifty-five when the two of them sit down in the library with sandwiches from the cafeteria. the sandwiches are riko’s favorites, especially with ham. they’re also cheap, which is a plus, because riko already spends too much on breakfast as is.

yoshiko takes a bite of her food and swallows it. “what’s going on with you?” she asks riko, then takes a drink from her water bottle.

“i found my soulmate today.” riko states. her roommate’s eyes widen and she throws down her sandwich in surprise. 

“what? who?” 

“kanan. she’s a friend of dia and mari’s.” riko swallows another piece of sandwich. yoshiko freezes mid-chew and gives riko a look of disbelief. “we’re hanging out this weekend. with chika. and yō. and others, if they want to come.” she adds. 

yoshiko nods, chewing her food again. once it’s been swallowed she takes a sip of water. “where are you all going?” 

“the aquarium. i messed up and suggested we go there. now i have to pretend i’m working on a song for class about the sea.” riko mentions. she shudders to think about her shift earlier today.

yoshiko is smiling to herself and squinting at the table, muttering in a language riko perceives as latin. riko clears her throat. “yoshiko.” she interrupts her friend’s whispering, causing her to look up in surprise. 

“oh. yeah. sorry.” yoshiko gives her a sheepish smile. the yoshiko riko knows is starting to reveal herself again. “is hanamaru going to the aquarium with you?”

“i haven’t told her yet, but if you ask her, she’ll probably say yes.” riko puts the rest of her food in her mouth, crumpling up the plastic it was wrapped it. “do you want to look at the gallery or something?” 

yoshiko shakes her head. “i’ve got a class at two twenty, but i think i can find yohane again.” riko nods. yoshiko’s paintings are messy and she likes using dark colors and wide strokes. she calls it a ‘mess of thoughts’, and when she produces her artwork she gets in touch with an inner persona (riko thinks it’s ‘yohane’ coming out). her pieces often have otherworldly titles, a favorite of riko’s being ‘laelaps’, which has dark rose colored shades and a sketchy pattern of short but wide brush strokes.

“good.” riko replies. “i have class in an hour or so, i’ll go find hanamaru and ruby.” yoshiko stands up and goes over to the trash can to throw away her stuff. when she sits down again she unzips her backpack and digs through it to find a thick yet small black binded book which she furiously writes in with a purple pen.

“okay. i’ll stay here for a couple minutes.” yoshiko replies without raising her head. riko raises an eyebrow. she can hear yoshiko giggling to herself. yoshiko used to be louder and even more eccentric, but she’s grown up since high school (and ditched her fallen angel youtubing career). riko met yoshiko in middle school, and they’ve been close ever since.

the old yoshiko still jumps out sometimes, like when she mutters to herself, when she paints, and every once in a while, she’ll go off on a tangent about lucifer or black magic or something. riko can’t wait for her to finally get out of her shell and talk to more people, like hanamaru, who yoshiko’s had a mind-numbingly obvious crush on since the beginning of the year. 

riko sighs as her phone dings with a text notification. it’s mari, a calculus classmate of riko’s, asking her where she is. calculus starts in an hour or so, so it’s not a reminder that a lecture is starting. riko unlocks her phone and types a reply.

— starshimmer  
hey riko, where are you?

— lily  
eating lunch with yoshiko

— lily  
why?

— starshimmer  
i heard about what happened today

— starshimmer  
u wanna get coffee and talk about it?

— starshimmer  
we can walk to the lecture afterwards

— starshimmer  
just thought u might want some advice ;)

— lily  
um sure

— lily  
let’s meet at the normal spot

riko smiles at mari’s offer. while mari does a lot of things deemed questionable by most of her classmates and is most definitely a party person, she’s actually the first person riko would go to for any advice. mari’s the president of student government and the gsa, so it’s really no wonder she’s dia’s soulmate.

when riko arrives at the cafe, it’s pretty empty. she notices mari sitting by a window busying herself with a sketchbook, most likely doodling designs for a dress or something. she’s wearing a floaty white blouse and blue jeans, yet also sporting yellow converse. It’s like her to mix styles like that. mari’s almost always wearing something “fashion forward”, as she puts it. 

the bell on the top of the door jingles as riko steps in. sarah, a coworker of riko’s, raises her head at the noise, and smiles as the pianist makes her way to the counter. riko doesn’t know sarah that well. they’ve worked together occasionally when riko stayed overtime or sarah covered for chika’s shifts, but riko hasn’t talked much with her except about her little sister, leah.

“i’ll have a caramel frappuccino, please.” riko orders. sarah nods and sends the order to the other girl she’s working with.

“that’ll be four ninety-nine.” sarah replies. riko places five dollars in sarah’s outstretched palm. the barista gives her a penny of change, which riko puts into her wallet.

“have a nice day!” riko bows her head to sarah then walks over to the booth across mari and slides in. mari looks up from her sketchbook filled with scribbles riko perceives as dress designs and smiles brightly. she’s already got coffee next to her on the table. mari’s addicted to caffeine and can’t function without it, so she spends a lot of time at the cafe with her earbuds in (listening to loud heavy metal) and her sketchbook, trying to come up with something eye-catching.

“hey.” riko greets the curly blonde-haired girl. mari takes a sip of coffee.

“hello!” she cheers sweetly. “so, riko, you’re in a bit of a tight spot, aren’t you?” mari gets straight to the point. she drops her pencil onto the table and watches it roll.

“yeah.” riko answers. she gulps. mari smiles at her again.

“so what exactly happened?”

riko opens her mouth to answer, but her frappuccino is done and her name is called. she sets her bag down next to her on the booth and runs over to pick it up, dropping into her seat again once more.

“basically, kanan is my soulmate. i think.” riko sucks her straw and basks in the sweet taste of the caramel for a moment. “and i said we should all get together this weekend and go to the aquarium.” 

mari narrows her eyes mischievously. “there’s more.” she states. riko nods. 

“i lied and said i have a piece i’m writing for class about the sea, but really, there’s no piece i’m writing. and kanan offered to help me with it.” mari furrows her brow. 

“you guys have talked about the fact that you’re destined to fall in love, correct?” mari inquires. riko smiles sheepishly.

“um, no.” she replies. mari raises her eyebrows and takes a furious sip of her drink.

“both of you are so dense!” mari exclaims. “you have her number, right?” riko nods at that, and mari exhales with relief. “okay, then. you’ll have to go to the aquarium with her.” riko nods again. “and write the song.” mari adds. 

“how am i going to do that if i don’t have the assignment?”

“turn it in for extra credit or something. duh.” mari shakes her head. “also, riko?”

“hm?”

“kanan’s a really sweet person. there’s no reason to be afraid of her.” mari’s light green eyes twinkle. “plus, she knows a lot about the sea.” 

riko takes a sip from her straw thoughtfully. mari’s right. she’s sort of being irrationally shy, even though kanan seems like a chill and nice person. riko might hate the idea of soulmates, but there’s no doubting that kanan is, indeed, her destined person. however, there’s still a part of riko that denies this past day ever even happened.

“i’ll come along with you to the aquarium, if you want.” mari shrugs. “if you need the moral support.” 

“yeah, sure. yō and chika are coming along, too.” 

“then i’ll bring dia with me. it can be a huge gay triple date.” mari laughs softly and riko lets out a few chuckles. “then, perhaps, we have a party or something. at my house, maybe?”

“a party? why?” riko asks.

mari shrugs again. “i don’t know. it might be fun to let loose for a bit. we don’t even have to include alcohol. it could just be, like, everyone comes over and we play mario kart or something.”

“ah. i don’t see why not.” 

mari smiles brightly. “let’s do it, then! i’ll let dia and kanan know. kanan will be excited to meet you.” riko drops her gaze shyly. 

“oh, come on, riko. kanan doesn’t bite.” mari pats the top of riko’s head lightly. “we’ll all get together and have a wonderful time!” the blonde says happily, raising both her arms for dramatic effect. 

as if on cue, mari’s phone buzzes with a text from someone. she reads it and lets out a ‘hmph’. her eyes widen though when she reads the time. 

“riko, the calculus lecture starts in fifteen minutes!” mari exclaims, slamming her phone on the table. riko shoots up and grabs her drink while her friend shoves her designs and pencil into her already stuffed backpack and picks up her phone and coffee. 

“let’s go!” riko leads the other girl out of the café, and the pair walk briskly across the campus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im sorry its so short hh chapter three should be at least 3000 words!!
> 
> my twitter is @hiikawas, feel free to follow me or talk to me there if you want to!


	3. raspberry macchiato

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the pianist sips her coffee to hide her expression of fluster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys!! this chapter is a lot longer than i expected it to be. i was originally gonna make it the whole aquarium visit but i realized how much i’ve written so im going to publish this now, plus it’s been a while since i updated.
> 
> this fic has been getting a surprising amount of support which i really wasn’t expecting! kananriko isn’t a very popular ship, but i still feel like people genuinely enjoy this fic, so im happy!!
> 
> that’s it for notes, enjoy the chapter :D

when riko wakes up on saturday morning, it’s lightly snowing. she sits up in bed and stares out the window blankly before turning to see that yoshiko is already out of bed, which is surprising. the tiny shower the two girls share is running, and that’s when riko remembers the plans she’s made with everyone else.

she throws back her blankets in panic, unplugging her phone quickly to look at the time. it’s only eight twenty two a.m, and she said she’d meet mari, kanan, dia, and the others at eleven in the cafe. riko takes a deep breath, relieved she doesn’t have to rush. 

hanamaru and ruby had agreed to joining the group when riko had texted them yesterday, which riko had told yoshiko. yoshiko decided to tag along with everyone else, although riko knows she just wants to meet hanamaru. nine people is a lot, but riko hopes it means she won’t have to interact with kanan as much as she thought she might. she recalls what mari had told her a couple days ago- kanan really isn’t scary, and riko has no reason to be afraid of talking to her, but even as riko assures herself that things will be fine, she’s still nervous.

yoshiko’s shower ends, and riko gets up to change out of her pajamas and into her bathrobe to wash herself. she stretches and yawns, then strips herself of clothing and puts on her white robe. when she opens her closet, she realizes she really has no idea what to wear to this ‘date’. filing through her dresses, she decides on a basic a-line dress. it’s light pink and goes down to her knees with three quarter length sleeves. she’ll have to wear tights because of the weather, but she’ll decide on other accessories after her shower.

the door swings open revealing yoshiko, her hair wrapped in a towel. “good to see you’re finally up,” she grins at riko. she puts her hands on her hips and cackles. “i awoke at early dawn at the call of angels-“

“yoshiko,” riko interrupts. yoshiko’s haughty expression softens. 

“oops… um…. good morning.” 

“good morning,” riko smiles brightly, then unhooks her towel from the hanger by the end of her bed. “i’m getting in the shower now.” yoshiko nods and begins to unwrap the towel on top of her head.

in the shower, riko ponders the day ahead of her. she’s not really a people person, preferring to hang out with only one or two other people at a time, but for some reason, riko can’t bring herself to fully dread going to the aquarium today. maybe it’s because she genuinely likes everyone she’ll be with, or maybe it’s because she’s been meaning to go to the aquarium for a long time now. 

after rinsing her hair for the final time, she turns off the hot water and gets out of the shower. their tiny excuse of a bathroom is humid and steamy due to the heat of the shower, so she has to use the heel of her hand to wipe condensation off of the mirrors.

“okay, riko. today is a big day. important soulmate stuff and all that.” she clears her throat as she makes eye contact with herself in the mirror. “whatever you do, you can’t mess this up. no one hates you, no one thinks you’re lame. kanan’s not scary, she’s your destined other half.” riko assures her reflection. she’s just not sure if she totally believes what she’s telling herself.

—————

the café is pleasantly busy. it’s a late saturday morning, so a lot of people are there for coffee and muffins to start their busy days. riko had promised to meet everyone here at eleven to start off their day together. she and yoshiko had waited around the house for a half an hour because they were ready at nine thirty, yet eventually they agreed to get there early. 

riko decided on braiding her hair loosely down her back. she’s wearing the pink dress with black nylons, plus dainty black lace-up boots. yoshiko, on the other hand, had decided to be bold today, choosing a lacy black pinafore skirt, a white blouse, and heeled boots. riko has absolutely no idea where yoshiko gets this clothing.

they arrive at the café at ten twenty one am. riko notices happily that she recognizes none of the three baristas working this morning, which means she can avoid having to talk to anyone awkwardly over the counter. the line in front of the cash register isn’t very long, but it’s decent, two or three people standing in the queue waiting to order. riko and yoshiko join the line.

yoshiko appears nervous and fidgety, looking at the floor gloomily. “you alright?” riko asks her quietly. yoshiko sighs.

“i’m… nervous about meeting hanamaru.” yoshiko says bluntly. riko nods knowingly.

“she’s a sweet person, don’t worry about her not liking you, okay?” riko replies.

“i know she’s a nice person, but….” yoshiko trails off. riko narrows her eyes pointedly.

“but what?” 

“i don’t know if she’ll like… this.” yoshiko gestures to her gothic clothing. “what if i do something dumb?” riko chuckles.

“she’s not one to judge. plus, your yohane persona is a part of you, right?” yoshiko gives her a confused look. “hanamaru will think it’s cute.” 

yoshiko exhales decidedly. “okay.” riko still notes an insecure glint in her eye, but doesn’t say anything about it. there’s only so much she can do anyway- no matter how much she assures yoshiko her meeting with hanamaru will be fine, riko still can’t cover up that she’s apprehensive about kanan. she should try to practice what she preaches.

they take a step forward in the line. there’s only one person in front of them now, so the pair begins to analyze the menu on the wall behind the counter. riko decides she’s in the mood for something fresh and bright.

when it’s their turn to order, yoshiko asks for a white chocolate mocha with extra whipped cream (riko think’s it funny how much her choice conflicts with her outside image, but she chooses not to comment.)

“i’ll have a raspberry macchiato.” riko tells the barista. their total comes down to a little bit over six dollars. riko pays for both of their drinks with a ten dollar bill and stuffs her change into her wallet without haste.

as they stand near the pick-up counter, the door to the café opens, letting in a draft of cold air. riko turns to see who it is. she’s surprised to see yō, cheeks bright pink from the cold, step into the café. she’s wearing a pair of jeans, a varsity jacket over a graphic tee, and a backwards baseball cap. her short grey hair is tangled and messy, just like it always is. a knit blue scarf around her neck is yō’s only protection against the cold.

yō catches riko’s eye and riko gives her a little wave. the two of them aren’t close, but they do share a lot of common friends, so they can recognize one other. riko thinks it’s surprising she’s never really talked to yō before. yō is a dance major and riko is a music theory major, so they have similar interests.

yō comes over to where yoshiko and riko are waiting for their drinks. she has a bouncy, light-hearted walk, which is fitting of her high-spirited personality. riko is a little bit taller than her- it actually reminds the dark-haired girl of chika’s height. they’re about the same size, although yō is noticeably more athletic.

“hey! you’re riko, right?” yō asks. 

“yeah, i am,” riko confirms. “this is yoshiko, she’s my roommate.” yō smiles brightly and takes yoshiko’s hand in her own, shaking it enthusiastically. 

“chika has told me all about you guys! i’m super thrilled to finally meet you.” yō cheers. “riko, you’re a music major?”

riko nods. “yep! music theory.” 

“that’s wicked!” yō exclaims energetically. “i’m a dance major- you probably knew that already.”

“i did! chika talks a lot about you.” riko cracks a smile, and yō laughs weakly. she’s an interesting person, and riko can see why chika finds her so endearing. “if you ever need help finding music for any dance routines, let me know. it would be cool to produce something for you.”

“oh, really? sweet!” yō replies. “my team and i thinking about joining a dance competition being held this spring, and entering with original music would be really cool.”

“hey, our coffee was called.” yoshiko interjects.

“oh, i didn’t even notice.” riko replies, and yō laughs softly again. 

“you guys get your drinks, i’m gonna get in line now.” yō says. she leaves to join the queue, so yoshiko and riko collect their coffee and sit down at a large table by a window.

the next two people to come into the café are dia and mari, who make gestures of greeting at riko and yoshiko, then join yō in the line to order their coffee. it’s probably almost eleven now. dia swears by arriving at least ten minutes early to all of her scheduled meetings with people. riko has gotten texts from ruby many times about being annoyed with her nagging.

“you’re nervous, aren’t you?” yoshiko says suddenly. riko turns to face her. she must have looked like a deer caught in headlights, because yoshiko says, “you are. i can tell. plus, you’re tapping on the tabletop with your fingers like you’re playing piano chords, which is something you do when you’re anxious.” riko sighs in defeat- she hadn’t even noticed her frantic hand movements.

“yeah, i guess i’m nervous.” she admits. yoshiko snorts. “don’t make fun of me, okay? i’m about to talk to kanan again.” 

“i’m not laughing at the fact that you’re nervous, i just think it’s funny you told me not to be worried about hanamaru, yet you’re even more anxious about talking to kanan yourself.” yoshiko states. riko gives her a weak glare and she giggles again. “either way, kanan isn’t going to be mean or anything. you’re going to be fine.” 

riko groans. “it’s not that easy. she’s my soulmate, after all.” at the word ‘soulmate’, riko feels a rush of energy surge through her body. “i mean… this is it. kanan is the real deal.” yoshiko nods as she sucks on her straw. “and up ‘til like, three days ago, i didn’t think i’d ever even meet my soulmate.” 

yoshiko plays with her straw mindlessly. “because she’s your soulmate, you know for sure everything will be fine. god, you’re such a worrywart sometimes, riko.”

“i can’t help it, y’know? something about the whole destined lovers thing is sort of… intimidating. that’s the word. i’m intimidated by kanan.” riko decides.

“i see.” yoshiko says. “well… all you have to do is let yourself ease into it. like, let’s say kanan is a flame.” she pauses and takes a sip of her mocha before continuing. “instead of running directly into that flame of hell and burning yourself up immediately, it’s better to ease yourself into it. take it a step of the time. get used to the heat.” 

riko narrows her eyes. “what kind of analogy is that?” she interrogates. yoshiko shrugs.

“basically, take it slow. don’t push yourself to be less hesitant than you are. if kanan is really your soulmate, she should understand how you feel. your personalities should be super compatible.”

riko stares dejectedly at the table. “okay.”

“ugh!” yoshiko exclaims, and riko sits up to look at her. “you’re so frustrating. you have it easier than i do, and you’re complaining a lot more than i am.” she sucks at her straw. “i don’t even know if hanamaru is my soulmate, or if she’ll like me, or anything like that. you, on the other hand, are guaranteed a happy ending,”

the dark-haired girl takes a drink of her macchiato. it’s very refreshing. it’s warm which is perfect for this cold crisp day, but the raspberry makes it colorful and vivid, which fits the energetic atmosphere. “i guess you’re right.”

“plus, you look super cute today. you’ll be fine.” yoshiko mentions. riko smiles at her.

“thanks.”

“don’t mention it.” yoshiko responds.

as if on cue, the door to the café opens and in walk chika and kanan. riko’s stomach drops and she takes another drink of her coffee to try and act natural as they walk over. 

“what’s up, guys?” greets chika casually, sitting down in the chair next to yoshiko. kanan chooses to sit across from the orange-haired girl, which happens to be right next to riko. 

“not much.” riko answers in an attempt to seem collected. yoshiko bobs her head in agreement. 

“aren’t you going to get something?” yoshiko asks the two newcomers. chika shakes her head decidedly.

“no. i hate coffee.” she replies stubbornly. riko almost spits out her macchiato.

“you work at a coffee shop,” riko says in disbelief, “and you don’t like coffee?” kanan giggles at her response, which riko begrudgingly finds cute.

“yep. i work there cause i like the atmosphere of this café and it pays well.” chika tells her. riko shakes her head. “i mostly drink smoothies, bubble tea, and juice.” 

“what about in the cold?” yoshiko brings up. 

“hot cocoa.” 

kanan laughs softly again. “i’m going to get another mint latte. the one i had last time was really good.” she pushes out her chair and stands up. 

“kanan! chika!” the four girls hear. they all turn to see mari, dia and yō walking towards them, all holding drinks. mari has two, one of which she sets in front of kanan. 

“mint latte.” she says sweetly. “i remembered you talking about how much you like them, so i got you one. saves you three bucks and a long boring wait in a line.”

kanan sits down again. “oh, thanks.” she tells mari, who waves her off. 

“don’t worry about it,” 

“also, ruby and hanamaru are meeting us at the aquarium around twelve thirty,” dia says. “hanamaru has a shift at the library, and ruby offered to help her out before this was planned.”

across from riko, yoshiko takes a sip of her drink again and sets it on the table. she looks a bit disappointed, and riko can’t help to feel a little bit sorry for her.

once the three girls have all taken places around the table, everyone starts engaging each other in small talk. dia and chika are having a very intense conversation about historical literature. chika’s an elementary education major with an english focus (riko thinks being an elementary english teacher is the perfect career for her) and dia is a history major, so they often have disputes about books riko’s only ever heard the titles of maybe once or twice.

“riko, how’s your composition going?” kanan asks. riko remembers what yoshiko told her- just get used to the heat.

“uh, pretty well.” riko answers, looking up to meet kanan’s eyes. “it still doesn’t feel right though.” kanan hums thoughtfully.

“seeing the sea animals at the aquarium will help you. i’m a marine biology major too, so i can tell you about them.” she smiles softly, and it makes riko feel fluffy inside. the pianist sips her coffee to hide her expression of fluster. she feels a little bit dizzy again, just like the first time the two soulmates met.

“yeah, that’ll be cool.” riko forces out. she makes eye contact with kanan, who has a well hidden yet still noticeable glint in her eye. 

kanan has a way with words that leaves riko breathless; but it’s not like she doesn’t know it. the way kanan’s eyes twinkle when she speaks to her is well-meaning, sweet, yet still mysterious. it’s almost mischievous, riko realizes. it’s like kanan knows just how to say things to make riko fall in love with her a little more. the pianist can tell the reason she’s doing it and it kind of makes sense.

kanan knows how bad riko is with the whole soulmate ordeal. kanan knows how riko won’t say anything about it, and she’s not going to force riko to admit to anything before she’s comfortable with it. instead, she’s chosen to say ordinary sounding things that might not seem like they mean much, but fill them with meaning. riko knows exactly what kanan means and how she feels, because of the magical way kanan can communicate things; charging words that mean nothing substantial with her emotion. riko wonders if kanan’s remarkably intuitive, or if it’s just something soulmates can do. 

riko hasn’t known her for a week yet, but she already feels like kanan has been there her entire life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you want to get in touch with me, please message me on twitter (@/ryuuseiigun, i changed my @) and i’ll get back to you asap. 
> 
> see ya!

**Author's Note:**

> :D


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